Grants and Other Financial Assistance Programs

FY2024: Summer Acceleration Academies Grant

Fund Code: 121

Purpose:

The purpose of this competitive grant is to fund the implementation of a specific strategic initiative, the Acceleration Academies, during summer 2023 to help accelerate the learning of students most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Acceleration Academies are intended to supplement, not supplant, programming an applicant is already planning to offer over the summer, therefore an LEA's proposed Summer Acceleration Academy program should not overlap with other summer programs the LEA may be offering.

Priorities:

Focus Areas for FY24 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant

The focus areas for the FY24 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant are as follows:

Early Literacy Academy for rising kindergartners, rising 1^st graders, and rising 2^nd graders
English/English Language Arts Academy for rising 3^rd graders, rising 4^th graders, rising 5^th graders, rising 6^th graders, rising 7^th graders, rising 8^th graders, and rising 10^th graders
Math Academy for rising 3^rd graders, rising 4^th graders, rising 5^th graders, rising 6^th graders, rising 7^th graders, rising 8^th graders, and rising 10^th graders

Acceleration Academy Model

An Acceleration Academy is an academic program designed to accelerate student learning through engaging, standards-aligned lessons. Applicants that receive FY24 Summer Acceleration Academies Grant funds must implement the Acceleration Academy model with fidelity, ensuring the program adheres to the following key program components:

Instruction is provided in-person.
Lessons are tailored to the specific needs of students and should involve engaging, standards-aligned learning experiences that prepare students for success in the grade they will be entering in the 2023-2024 school year.
Multiple forms of student data (MCAS, benchmark assessments, attendance, etc.) are used to determine which students are invited to participate in an Academy.
Multiples forms of student data (MCAS, benchmark assessments, etc.) are used to determine the focus standards for the Acceleration Academies.
Students receive between 20–25 hours of instruction in one content area (i.e., early literacy, English/ELA, or Math) during either a 1-week or 2-week Academy. If an Academy takes place over 2 weeks, it must be 2 consecutive weeks.
Students in elementary and middle school grades should attend at least 1 specials or enrichment class each day (Highly recommended but not required).*
Class sizes are small (10–12 students per classroom teacher).
Students are taught by the same teacher for the duration of the Academy program.
Classes are taught by highly effective teachers who are hired through a selective application process.
Teachers are given the autonomy to create lessons based on their students' specific needs and/or focus standards as well as instructional expectations set by the district or school.
The schools/districts running Acceleration Academies provide planning time and/or professional development for Academy teachers prior to the Academy to ensure teachers are creating high-quality, engaging lessons and units that align to the focus standards set by the district or school.
Schools/districts should aim to enroll up to roughly 10% of students at each grade level served by the proposed Acceleration Academy programs.

*Note Regarding Specials:
Districts/schools are encouraged to work with educators to create specials that integrate early literacy, ELA, or math concepts within the specials class (for instance, a STEAM focused special that builds upon what students are learning in their Math Academy class). Student time spent in specials that integrate early literacy, ELA, or math concepts and learning can be counted toward the 20-25 hour core content instructional requirement for an Academy. Or, rather than having separate specials classes, districts/schools could also work with core content teachers and specialists to develop integrated co-teaching classes.

To ensure classes are taught by highly effective teachers, districts must commit to the following:

Teachers are hired through a competitive application process that ensures highly effective teachers are chosen to teach during the Academy week. Please refer to the "Summer Acceleration Academy Guidebook" linked to below under the Program Guidance section of the RFP for criteria to consider when hiring teachers for the Academies.
To help attract highly effective teachers, LEAs should provide a competitive stipend rate of up to $3,000. In job postings, LEAs should also inform teachers that the stipend covers up to 5 hours of district and/or school run planning time/PD prior to the Academy week as well as teaching time during the Academy.
Academy site facilitators should conduct classroom walk-throughs/observations throughout the Academy week to ensure instruction meets instructional expectations and to provide feedback, if needed. Please refer to the "What to Look For" Observation Guides for examples of grade specific classroom observation guidance.

To ensure the proposed Academy programs are fully enrolled and attendance during the Academies is high, LEAs must commit to the following:

LEAs provide each Acceleration Academy host site and/or sending school with resources to support recruitment and enrollment management prior to the Academy week, as needed, to ensure high attendance rates

Key Instructional Components Specific to an Academy

An Early Literacy Academy should prioritize skills for early reading based on student needs, as determined by local assessments. Instructional time should be dedicated to grade-appropriate foundational skills and engaging with complex text. Grade-specific guides for each of these instructional components can be found at Mass Literacy.
An ELA Academy should focus on the Massachusetts Anchor Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language for the appropriate grade levels. Lessons should include multiple opportunities for students to interact with and do close readings of complex texts, both literary and informational, participate in academic discussions grounded in the complex texts, and produce written analysis based on their close reading of texts and class discussions.
A Math Academy should involve engaging, collaborative and hands-on learning experiences where students apply their mathematical knowledge and skills to real-world problems and focus on mastery (conceptual understanding and fluency) of a limited number of grade level standards (or above grade level standards, if appropriate).

Program Guidance

Please review the Summer Acceleration Academy Guidebook for additional information regarding planning, implementation, and program reporting.

Summer Acceleration Academy Guidebook

Competitive Priority

Please note, competitive priority will be given to proposals from districts and schools in chronically underperforming status.

Eligibility:

School districts, charter schools, education collaboratives, career vocational technical education (CVTE) schools, and METCO that serve students in any of the target grades are eligible to apply.

Due to the in-person program requirement, virtual schools/districts are not eligible to apply.

LEAs in the Strategic Transformation Region may be awarded multiple awards to account for alternative governance structures (e.g., Springfield Empowerment Partnership Zone).

Funding Type:

Federal CFDA: 84.425 Federal Coronavirus Relief Programs - Federal Grant Programs

Federal grant funds must adhere to:

UGG (2 CFR 200)
EDGAR As Applicable
EDGAR General Fiscal Administration 34 CFR Part 76

Funding:

A total of approximately $5,000,000 will be awarded under this grant program with the possibility of additional funding in subsequent years.

Applicants can request up to $3,000 per Acceleration Academy teacher needed for the program (10–12 students per classroom/teacher), plus funding for general program implementation costs such as consumable classroom materials, busing, food services for breakfast and/or lunch, etc. Please see the "Fund Use" section of this RFP for information on allowable program costs.

For example, if a Math Academy requires 4 classroom teachers, an applicant could request $12,000 (4 teachers x $3,000) for teacher stipends plus funding for a program facilitator, busing, materials, food services, etc.

Per the "Acceleration Academy Model" guidance provided in this RFP, applicants should only request funds needed to provide programming for up to 10% of students for each of the grade levels served during the proposed Academy week for each content area.

This RFP is the governing document for these grant funds.

Funding is contingent upon availability. All dollar amounts listed are estimated/approximate and are subject to change. If more funding becomes available it will be distributed under the same guidelines that appear in this RFP document.

Fund Use:

As outlined in the "Purpose" section, funds must be used to implement the Acceleration Academy model with fidelity and instruction must take place in person.

Funds should primarily be used for teacher stipends but can also be used for grant and program coordination salaries/stipends, administrative staff stipends, transportation, food/snacks, consumable program materials and supplies, professional development, family engagement activities, other services needed to implement programming during the summer, and any COVID-19 costs needed to comply with guidance (if applicable).

Important Note: Funds from this grant cannot be used for indirect costs, equipment costs (including software and technology), and purchasing of student incentives, curricula, or other non-consumable supplies such as books, calculators, etc. MTRS is allowable since this is a federally funded grant.

Approved applicants are expected to use these funds in accordance with state and federal laws.

Project Duration:

Upon Approval – 9/8/2023

Program Unit:

Center for Strategic Initiatives

Contact:

Thomas Zorich
Phone: (781) 338-3528

Date Due:

Proposals must be received via email by 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Friday, June 9, 2023.

All responses must be received by the due date and time listed in this RFP. All responses must be submitted as directed in the Submissions Instructions section of this RFP. Failure to do so may result in disqualification. Responses not submitted on time will not be reviewed. If you need assistance with submitting your application, please reach out to the contact person listed in this RFP.

Required Forms:

Submission Instructions:

Please email Parts I, II, III, and IV to CSI@mass.gov by the due date noted above. Parts II and III should be in their original Word or Excel formats (i.e., not converted to PDFs) and Parts I and IV should be signed and converted to PDFs. Please note, the Part I form must include an original, wet signature of an authorized signatory (i.e., the superintendent or, in some cases, the chief financial officer).

Upon award, recipients will be required to enter the approved budget in EdGrants and upload required documents. Grant recipients will be contacted with further instructions on the process.

Last Updated: May 18, 2023